Rock phosphate solubilizing and cellulolytic actinomycete isolates of earthworm casts

Four microbial isolates, OP2, OP3, OP6, and OP7, of earthworm casts ofPontoscolex corethrurus were found to be acid tolerant actinomycetes and efficient rock phosphate (RP) solubilizers that could grow fast on NH₄Cl-enriched or N-free carboxymethyl cellulose or glucose as sole carbon source. CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose) induced production of extracellular cellulase enzyme and the production of reducing sugar in all the isolates. RP solubilizing power was observed to be inversely related to glucose consumption. The most efficient RP solubilizer was found to consume the least glucose. Growth was faster on cellulose than on glucose media. N-free CMC induced greater glucose production than NH₄Cl-enriched CMC medium. Both CMC and glucose media were acidified by all the isolates, however, RP solubilizing power decreased with acidification. Solubilization power was greatest with isolate OP7, which also produced the greatest amount of reducing sugar per gram CMC. Both RP solubilizing power and the cellulolytic efficiency varied among isolates. A minimum of 631 μg P/0.1 g RP and a maximum of 951.4 μg P/0.1 g RP was recorded.     

生物滤池污泥的生态稳定试验研究

采用生态滤池对高负荷生物滤池所产生的生物膜污泥进行分解稳定的中型试验。生态滤池由布水区、滤床和排水区3部分组成。滤床中蚯蚓等各种微型动物和微生物共同组成复杂的生态系统,将生物膜污泥作为生长代谢营养源,集污泥浓缩、稳定、调理、脱水、处置和综合利用等多种功能。当生态滤池水力负荷3.0m3/(m2·d),污泥负荷(SS)0.18kg/(m2·d)时,生物膜污泥可被滤床的生态系统所吸收和稳定,过滤后出水各项指标可达到国家一级排放标准。生态滤池中少量增殖的蚯蚓和蚓粪可用作饲料和高效农肥。该方法处理生物污泥具有节能和造价、运行费用低廉,管理方便,解决污泥最终处置问题等特点。     

Effect of two major N-nitroso hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) metabolites on earthworm reproductive success

Soil and topical tests were employed to investigate the effect of two N-nitroso metabolites of RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) on earthworm reproduction. The lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) for cocoon production and hatching was 50mg/kg for both hexahydro-1-nitroso-3,5-dinitro-1,3,5-triazine (MNX) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitroso-1,3,5-triazine (TNX) in soil. MNX and TNX also significantly affected cocoon hatching in soil (p<0.001) and in topical tests (p=0.001). The LOECs for cocoon hatching were 1 and 10mg/kg for MNX and TNX in soil, respectively, and 10mg/L in the topical test. Greater than 100mg/kg MNX and TNX completely inhibited cocoon hatching. In soil, the EC20 values for MNX were 8.7 and 8.8mg/kg for cocoon and juvenile production, respectively, compared to 9.2 and 9.1mg/kg for TNX, respectively. The EC20 values for the total number of cocoon hatchlings were 3.1 and 4.7mg/kg for MNX and TNX, respectively, in soil and 4.5 and 3.1mg/L in the topical test. Both MNX and TNX inhibited cocoon production and hatching, suggesting that they may have a negative affect on soil ecosystems at contaminated sites.     

Inhibition, recovery and oxime-induced reactivation of muscle esterases following chlorpyrifos exposure in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris

Assessment of wildlife exposure to organophosphorus (OP) pesticides generally involves the measurement of cholinesterase (ChE) inhibition, and complementary biomarkers (or related endpoints) are rarely included. Herein, we investigated the time course inhibition and recovery of ChE and carboxylesterase (CE) activities in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris exposed to chlorpyrifos, and the ability of oximes to reactivate the phosphorylated ChE activity. Results indicated that these esterase activities are a suitable multibiomarker scheme for monitoring OP exposure due to their high sensitivity to OP inhibition and slow recovery to full activity levels following pesticide exposure. Moreover, oximes reactivated the inhibited ChE activity of the earthworms exposed to 12 and 48 mg kg⁻¹ chlorpyrifos during the first week following pesticide exposure. This methodology is useful for providing evidence for OP-mediated ChE inhibition in individuals with a short history of OP exposure (≤1 week); resulting a valuable approach for assessing multiple OP exposure episodes in the field.     

污水蚯蚓土地处理与资源回归

利用蚯蚓的生态污水土地自理与利用土壤中生物膜的常规污水土地自理的不同之处在于：利用蚯蚓的生态污水土地自理不仅处理污水而且改良土壤。污水中的水分部可直接用于灌溉，部分 蒸发到大气中还利于区域小气候。     

Enhancement of chlorophenol sorption on soil by geophagous earthworms (Metaphire guillelmi)

Earthworms are the dominant soil biomass of many terrestrial ecosystems and markedly influence the physico-chemical and biological properties of soil; however, little is known about the effects of earthworm activities on the environmental behavior of micropollutants in soil. We studied the sorption and desorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol on geophagous earthworm (anecic Metaphire guillelmi) casts of various aging times and on the parent soil. The casts were characteristic of lower pH and higher content of fine particles (silt and clay) than the parent soil. The sorption of the chlorophenols on the soil and casts were well fitted to linear isotherms, with sorption capacity in the order of pentachlorophenol > 2,4-dichlorophenol > 2,4,6-trichlorophenol. The sorption on the cast with different aging time was quite similar and was higher than on the parent soil. The sorption on the soil did not change between pH 7.07 of the soil and pH 6.76 of the casts. The desorption hysteresis of the chlorophenols on the soil and casts was compound specific and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol showed the highest hysteresis. The higher sorption capacity of the casts was not owing to the lowered pH of the casts, but mainly to the higher fine particles in the casts and the possible changes of nature of the soil organic matter through the earthworm gut passage. Our results indicate that geophagous earthworms may change sorption behavior and thus the bioavailability and transport of chlorophenols in soil. Earthworm effects should be considered when evaluating the environmental behavior and risk of organic pollutants in the ecosystems where earthworms are abundant.     

Histopathological and biochemical alterations of the earthworm (Lumbricus Terrestris) as biomarker of soil pollution along Porsuk River Basin (Turkey)

This study investigated biomarker responses of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris in order to evaluate the soil pollution along Porsuk River Basin. Samples consisted of animals from six sites that are agricultural regions and a forested control. Histopathological and biochemical alterations were examined. Significant histopathological alterations were observed in animals from three of the sampling sites. There was an enlargement of epithelial cell lining, mucus cell hyperplasia and increase in mucus secretion. Circular and longitudinal muscles lost their structural integrity. Chloragogenous tissue was dilated and vocuolized. Necrosis was observed in the cells and tissues of some affected worms. A load of heavy metals in tissues of animals was determined. Heavy metals were found to be accumulated particularly in longitudinal muscles of animals. CAT activity was found to be increased in animals from three of the experimental sites. GST activity was also increased in five sites while it was stable in one site. The results have shown that animals from locations particularly that are close to urbanized and industrialized regions were seriously affected from the soil pollution around the basin. These results are reflecting the biological effects of soil pollution around Porsuk River Basin on the indicator organism L. terrestris and constitute an early warning of ecological change in relation to human health.     

Influence of plant-earthworm interactions on SOM chemistry and p,p'-DDE bioaccumulation

Laboratory experiments assessed how bioaccumulation of weathered p,p′-DDE from soil and humic acid (HA) chemistry are affected by interactions between the plants Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo and ssp. ovifera and the earthworms Eisenia fetida, Lumbricus terrestris, and Apporectodea caliginosa. Total organochlorine phytoextraction by ssp. pepo increased at least 25% in the presence of any of the earthworm species (relative to plants grown in isolation). Uptake of the compound by ssp. ovifera was unaffected by earthworms. Plants influenced earthworm bioaccumulation as well. When combined with pepo, p,p′-DDE levels in E. fetida decreased by 50%, whereas, in the presence of ovifera, bioconcentration by L. terrestris increased by more than 2-fold. Spectral analysis indicated a decrease in hydrophobicity of HA in each of the soils in which both pepo and earthworms were present. However, HA chemistry from ovifera treatments was largely unaffected by earthworms. Risk assessments of contaminated soils should account for species interactions, and SOM chemistry may be a useful indictor of pollutant bioaccumulation.     

Production of vermifertilizer from guar gum industrial wastes by using composting earthworm <Emphasis Type="Italic">Perionyx sansibaricus</Emphasis> (Perrier)

Efforts have been made to convert the guar gum industrial waste into a value-added product, by employing a new earthworm species for vermicomposting e.g. Perionyx sansibaricus (Perrier) (Megascolecidae), under laboratory conditions. Industrial lignocellulosic waste was amended with other organic supplements (saw dust and cow dung); and three types of vermibeds were prepared: guar gum industrial waste + cow dung + saw dust in 40: 30: 30 ratio (T₁), guar gum industrial waste + cow dung + saw dust in 60: 20: 20 ratio (T_2,), and guar gum industrial waste + cow dung + saw dust in 75: 15: 10 ratio (T₃). As compared to initial concentrations, vermicomposts exhibited a decrease in organic C content (5.0–11.3%) and C:N ratio (11.1–24.4%) and an increase in total N (18.4–22.8%), available P (39.7–92.4%), and exchangeable K (9.4–19.7%) contents, after 150 days of vermicomposting. A vermicomposting coefficient (VC) was used to compare of vermicomposting with the experimental control (composting). P. sansibaricus exhibited maximum value of mean individual live weight (742.8 ± 21.1 mg), biomass gain (442.94 ± 21.8 mg), growth rate (2.95 ± 0.15 mg day⁻¹), cocoon numbers (96.0 ± 5.1) and reproduction rate (cocoons worm⁻¹ day⁻¹) (0.034 ± 0.001) in T₂ treatment. In T₃ maximum mortality (30.0 ± 4.01 %) in earthworm population was observed. Overall, T₂ vermibed appeared as an ideal substrate to manage guar gum industrial waste effectively. Vermicomposting can be proposed as a low-input basis technology to convert industrial waste into value-added biofertilizer.